Take control of the powerful Slayers and destroy the Oni, a monstrous horde of destructive demons.

Use weapons such as swords, bows and knives to target specific body parts of colossal sized Oni and cut them down to size.

Unleash over 200 Mitama, the powerful souls of historical Japanese heroes, and power up your weapons with special abilities.

Team up with three friends online or via ad hoc mode for epic battles against the Oni threat.

Demon days

In Toukiden: The Age of Demons, classic Japanese myths are given an epic fantasy twist.

The legendary land of Nakatsu Kuni has been overrun by the Oni, a race of bloodthirsty demons intent on the annihilation of mankind. Humanity's last hope comes in the form of Slayers, trained warriors willing to take on the invaders. You control one such fighter, a young Slayer new to the struggle but already an expert in the art of combat. Every victory over your otherworldly enemies increases your experience and talent for destruction, but all the while your foes are growing stronger...

Only by amassing a range of deadly weapons, mastering mystical special attacks and cooperating with your fellow Slayers can you hope to overcome the Oni once and for all - and discover your true destiny.

Here be giants

With its supernatural subject matter, Toukiden: The Age of Demons is bursting with spectacular sights and sounds.

The game unfolds across a series of atmospheric environments drawn from Japanese legend. Enemies are richly imagined, with swarms of flesh-crawling smaller demons giving way to titanic boss characters laden with fangs, horns, stingers, claws and just about any other body part designed to maim and murder. The animation is fast and fluid even when hordes of combatants are thrashing about simultaneously, and the explosive impact effects when you land a killer blow are incredibly satisfying to behold.

Accompanying all this flash, bang and wallop is a heart-thumping soundtrack that makes each and every battle feel like a fight for your life - which, essentially, it is. The end result? A hard-hitting adventure that dazzles and delights the senses.

Paranormal activity

Combat is at the core of Toukiden: The Age of Demons, but the Oni will laugh (or more likely bellow) in your face if you simply steam in with your sword or spear flailing. The key is to ensure that your character is equipped with the weaponry needed to defeat his foes.

Every demon you destroy during your quest can be "purified" or harvested for booty including materials and "mitama" - the life force of fallen Slayers. Materials are used to forge new weapons or enhance armour, while mitama is used to impart stupendous magical modifiers to your attacks.

These added strategic elements deepen the gameplay considerably, and make planning your next onslaught almost as much fun as carrying it out... almost.

Slay squad

Happily, the joy of crushing gargantuan monsters into demon dust can be sweetened still further by teaming up with like-minded Slayers online or via ad hoc mode.

Multiplayer missions allow you to coordinate attacks on the Oni with up to three fellow players - and if at any moment you find yourself lacking in willing warriors, you can even go into battle with three computer-controlled allies, each ingeniously designed to play with the intelligence of a real person.

The beauty of the game's multiplayer missions is the way in which they draw on the experience earned in single player mode while challenging you to develop whole new skill sets - and master the art of cooperative combat.